Guardian Assessment Private Limited is committed to handling all complaints and appeals fairly, transparently, impartially and without undue delay. Information about how to raise a complaint or lodge an appeal is publicly available and accessible to all interested parties without financial or procedural barriers.
This page provides complete information about the complaints and appeals process for Guardian SecureApp™ certification, in accordance with ISO/IEC 17065 Clause 4.6(d) and Clause 7.13, and Guardian's procedure GSA-PR-12.
A complaint may be raised by any of the following parties:
Complaints may relate to:
- The conduct, behaviour or decisions of Guardian personnel involved in certification activities;
- The way in which an evaluation was planned or conducted;
- A certification decision (to grant, maintain, extend, reduce, suspend, withdraw or refuse certification);
- The handling of a previous complaint or appeal;
- Alleged misuse of the Guardian SecureApp™ certificate, mark or claims by a certified or non-certified entity;
- Any other aspect of Guardian's certification operations.
Complaints should be submitted in writing to Guardian Assessment Private Limited by:
Submission Methods
Your written complaint should include:
- Your name, organisation (if applicable) and contact details;
- The name of the product, client or personnel the complaint concerns (if applicable);
- A clear description of the issue, including relevant dates and events;
- Any supporting evidence or documentation you wish to provide;
- The outcome you are seeking.
Acknowledgement
Guardian will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 5 business days, providing a unique case reference number and an overview of the next steps.
Assessment
The complaint is assessed to confirm whether it relates to certification activities for which Guardian is responsible and to assign it to an appropriate investigator.
Investigation
Guardian gathers and verifies all necessary information and evidence. The complainant may be contacted for further details if required.
Decision
The decision resolving the complaint is made by, or reviewed and approved by, person(s) who were not involved in the original certification activities that are the subject of the complaint, ensuring independence.
Notification of Outcome
Guardian will notify the complainant of the outcome and the end of the complaint process as soon as reasonably practicable. Where possible, the target resolution time for complaints is 30 calendar days from receipt.
An appeal may be lodged by a certified client or applicant who wishes to challenge a certification decision made by Guardian, including decisions to refuse, suspend, withdraw or reduce the scope of certification.
An appeal must be submitted within 45 calendar days of the date on which the certification decision was communicated to the client. Guardian will use the earliest of the communication date (email, post or public directory publication) as the commencement date for the appeal timeframe.
An appeal may be lodged on the following grounds:
- The certification decision was not made in accordance with the Scheme Rules (Annex A to GSA-PR-01) or the applicable evaluation procedures;
- The evaluation was not conducted competently, thoroughly or impartially;
- Relevant evidence was not adequately considered in the certification decision;
- There was a procedural irregularity that materially affected the outcome.
Appeals should be submitted in writing to Guardian Assessment Private Limited, clearly marked "Certification Appeal", by:
Submission Methods
Your written appeal should include:
- Your name, organisation and contact details;
- The certificate or application reference number;
- The certification decision you are appealing and its date;
- The grounds for your appeal, with reference to the Scheme Rules or procedures where applicable;
- Any supporting evidence you wish to provide.
Acknowledgement
Guardian will acknowledge receipt of your appeal within 5 business days, providing a case reference number.
Eligibility Check
Guardian confirms whether the appeal is within scope and meets the 45-day submission timeframe.
Independent Review
The appeal is reviewed and decided by person(s) who were not involved in the original certification activities or decision that is the subject of the appeal. No person who provided consultancy or was employed by the client within the previous two years may be involved.
Decision
The decision resolving the appeal is communicated formally to the appellant, with reasons.
Formal Notice of Outcome
Guardian will give formal notice of the outcome and the end of the appeal process to the appellant. Target resolution time: 45 calendar days from receipt of complete appeal.
If you believe that a company is using the Guardian SecureApp™ certificate or certification mark improperly (for example, making claims about certification they do not hold, or continuing to use the mark after certification has been suspended or withdrawn), you may report this to Guardian.
Reports of suspected misuse should be submitted to the same contact details listed above for complaints. Guardian will investigate all credible reports of misuse fairly and objectively, and will take appropriate action including requesting correction, suspension or withdrawal of certification, or legal action where warranted.
Guardian will handle all complaints and appeals in a manner that respects the confidentiality of all parties involved, subject to legal and regulatory disclosure obligations. The identity of a complainant will not be disclosed to the subject of the complaint without the complainant's consent, unless legally required.
Further Escalation
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of a complaint or appeal, you may escalate your concern to the United Accreditation Foundation (UAF), which is the Accreditation Body for Guardian SecureApp™ under ISO/IEC 17065. Contact details for UAF are available on their official website.